


Percy's Bookshop

by Alphinss



Series: To Continue or Not to Continue [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bookstore, BAMF Percy Weasley, Bisexual Percy Weasley, Bisexual Tony Stark, Crossover, Cute, Fluff, Gay Percy Weasley, Good Percy Weasley, Hurt Tony Stark, M/M, Percy Weasley-centric, Romance, Strangers to Lovers, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-12 11:36:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29759055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alphinss/pseuds/Alphinss
Summary: A media mob and a small bookshop. When Tony Stark runs from the paparazzi he ends up in a small book shop run by none other than Percy Weasley, a man in hiding from his family and his past.
Relationships: Tony Stark/Percy Weasley
Series: To Continue or Not to Continue [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2187177
Comments: 9
Kudos: 69





	Percy's Bookshop

  
Percy leaned back in his seat, the book settling in his lap, content for a break in the small bookshop. It wasn’t much, but he’d taken a loan from his brother and moved to a new country, now the few shelves and various tombs was all that he owned and he was happy with it. The small apartment above the shop was considered large for New York and Percy was happy, happier than he had been, maybe ever. He took in a breath, the smell of paper and coffee. 

The war had changed things, sure, but it had changed Percy more. After several years of spying, hiding round every corner and fearing death from friend and foe, going back to a normal life had been impossible. Percy couldn’t look at people who had thought him a traitor, look at the sad eyes of George who couldn’t help but blame him, couldn’t take the uncertainty that followed him and the panic that clawed at his heart. Percy just hadn’t been able to do it. 

Charlie had understood that. Charlie had had enough money saved to lend some to Percy, to help him afford the portkey and stock up on the inventory, the rest was left to Percy’s savings. Charlie had know what it felt like to be trapped and hadn’t wanted the same for his younger brother. Of course there were conditions, like the therapist that Percy saw twice a week and the monthly letters that he had to send back to the burrow; although in the last year they had turned to one every two months and were heading to one every three. 

The bell above the door jingled and Percy looked up from his copy of 1984 to the unexpected customer. It was mid afternoon on a Wednesday, not really the time for a customer. A man had almost run into the small shop with a wild look on his face, his eyes filled with panic. The man’s breathing was fast and his eyes were unclear. Percy knew that look, he knew when someone was being chased, when someone was running from something. 

Percy didn’t think before he moved, had never had time to think. His book thumped on the counter and the chair screeched back, he grabbed a key hanging from the hook and quickly stepped toward the man. 

“The stairs to the apartment are at the back.” Percy pressed the key into the man’s palm. “They won’t know where you went and I won’t tell them.” 

Inscrutable brown eyes blinked up at Percy. There was a flicker of confusion before the hand tightened on the key. 

“Just follow the shelves to the back.” Percy looked to the shelves before looking back at the man. 

The man nodded through his panicked breaths and nearly ran to the back of the shop, just in time. Just as Percy heard the lock turn the bell above the door sounded again. A group of people walked in, ones that Percy had not been expecting. 

“Where’s Ironman, we want to see him!” 

“Where’s Mr Stark?” 

“Where did he go?” 

Were they…fans? There was a group of random civilians, dressed in normal clothes and with looks of shock and disbelief. Percy’s wand found it’s way back into its holster. He made his way back to the other side of the counter. 

“Can I help you?” Percy felt his whole body tense as the mob of people turned to him. Okay, now he saw why the man had been running. He would too. 

“Where did Tony Stark go? Where did you hide him?!” 

Percy forced himself on his seat and picked up his book. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

“I saw him come in!” A middle aged woman was shouting. “I saw him!” 

Percy glared at her, then looked back at his book. “Feel free to look around, but there have been no customers in here for at least an hour now.” Percy paused. “We are quite quiet on Wednesdays, after all.”

Percy didn’t speak another word, even as the fans demanded answers and marched up and down the rows of expensive books searching for a man that was not there. Percy only pretended to read, keeping his eyes glued to them. They didn’t last long. The mysterious Tony Stark was clearly not there, so they had no reason to be. 

The bell dinged for the last time and Percy waited till the young man was out of sight. He stood to the door and turned the sign to closed. The lock clicked and Percy made his way to the back room, time to face the man who was currently hiding in his apartment. 

The stairs creaked as Percy made his way up them. Nothing seemed amiss as he entered, nothing thrown at walls or broken possessions scattering the floor; well, that was better than most times people with fear in their eyes had found their way into his dwelling. 

“It's just me, there’s no need to worry.” Percy called out He could only see the kitchen from where he stood, but he knew that he could be heard throughout the entire apartment. 

There was a shuffle and the door that Percy knew led to the living room, squeaked open. 

“You don’t have a TV!” 

The man looked far more calm now, his face more incensed than terrified. 

“No. I do not.” Percy hummed in agreement. Muggle technology was still not something that he was used to. Muggle studies had certainly not prepared him for living in the muggle world. 

“How do you not have a TV?” the man threw his hands up in the air in exasperation. 

Percy noted the artful styled facial hair, the expensive looking suit and the rather ostentatious pair of frames that sat on the man’s face. 

“I own a book shop.” Percy didn’t feel the need to elaborate. Instead he made his way toward the small kitchen stove, where a metal kettle rested. “Tea? Coffee?” Percy filled the metal with water and turned on the gas. 

“You don’t have an electric kettle?” The man had taken a few steps forward, the counter still between them. 

Percy took two mugs from the cupboard. “I have always been told that I am rather old fashioned.” The man snorted. “So coffee or tea?” 

“I’ll have a coffee” the man took one of the two stools and settled at the breakfast counter. There was a pause in conversation as Percy made a coffee and an earl grey tea. 

“Only instant I’m afraid. Milk, sugar?” 

“Black is fine.” the man took the mug and seemed to engulf the burning hot coffee with a sigh. Percy remained standing, leaning on the counter and took a sip of the tea. 

“So” Percy sipped. “Those fans of yours?” 

The man snorted. “Just a few of many, was too far away from my car to get away, and I figured that blasting them was not the best of ideas. They are civilians.”

“So, quite famous then are you. Actor?” 

Percy took another sip of the tea before looking up at the man who had frozen with the coffee in his hands. He was blinking at Percy as though he was insane. “What?” the man tumbled out. “You…you can’t be serious. I’m Tony Stark!” 

Percy hummed. “Nice name, but as we’ve established by my lack of TV I tend to not stay up to date on new actors, or musicians or…whatever it may be that you are doing.” 

“But…” the man was wide eyed and wordless. It did not look like a situation that the man was comfortable being in. “But, I’m ironman!”

“Oh, so an actor then?” Percy sipped at the tea. Then looked toward the biscuit tin. “You want some digestives, or I think I have a few custard creams as well.” 

“What?” the man was just staring at Percy as though he was insane. Percy shrugged. The look wasn’t foreign to him, he’d never really fit in with his family, so he was used to it. 

“A biscuit” Percy opened the tin and tilted it toward the man. “Would you like one?”

The man only looked stunned at the biscuits and then back to Percy. Percy took a rich tea from the tin and then set the tin open on the counter. “They’re there if you want one.” Percy dipped the biscuit into his tea before he bit into it. 

“How…how do you…?” the man was gaping like a fish and Percy wasn’t sure what to say. It was probably best to just let him work it out himself. 

“You live in New York, the attack two years ago, surely you saw…” 

“Oh, I only moved here last year, England in case the accent didn’t give you a hint.” Percy took another biscuit, careful not to over dunk it. It was never nice to have soggy chunks in the bottom of your tea. 

“But even in the UK, it was a big event, everyone knows.” The man didn’t seem to be able to comprehend that Percy did not know who he was. His whole face spoke of the disbelief. 

“There were a few more important things…” Percy trailed off as he sipped at the quickly emptying mug. “My family wasn’t big on international events.” 

“What are you?” the man laughed. “Amish or something?” 

“Or something” Percy hummed. 

The man was smiling and he finally grabbed a biscuit from the tin. “Well, what’s the name of my mysterious rescuer, then?” 

“Oh, how rude of me.” Percy set down the mug. “Percival Weasley, please call me Percy.” Percy smiled at the man. “And I assume that you must be Tony Stark?” 

The man hummed. “I am and thanks for the save Percy-pal.” 

“You’re welcome Tony.” 

Silence, not awkward, seemingly a turning point as the man decided what to say. 

“How about you let me take you to dinner Percy? As a thank you.”

Percy blinked up at the man, unsure of what he was really asking, what he really wanted. But Percy had spent the past year in a book shop reading and isolating himself from the world. He smiled at the other man. Did it really matter what he was asking? 

“When were you thinking?” 

* * *

It was a week later and a little longer than Percy had expected, but it seemed that the man, Tony, had a rather busy schedule and that this was his only free night. Percy was rather relieved for the time that he had been given. He’d managed to scrounge together some of his savings and get himself a new suit jacket, not really being able to splash out for the whole suit, but the restaurant that Tony had suggested had seemed rather expensive, at least from the cursory search that Percy had done on the rather old computer that the shop had. Percy mostly used it to buy new books. Percy had pointedly not used it to search for the name Tony Stark. 

Percy stepped off the subway and made the few minute walk toward the restaurant. Tony had got his number last week, scoffing at Percy’s less than new model phone. Percy hadn’t said anything. Not everyone was rich enough to have brand new phones. Not everyone had to buy a new one every few months after exploding the old one with uncontrollable magic. Percy looked at the old battered model and double checked the name of the restaurant. 

‘The Modern’ seemed like a rather uncreative name, but who was Percy to judge, all the names he had grown up with had been to do with bad magic puns. Yet the large stone arch of an entrance and its proximity opposite a rolex shop did cause Percy a little trepidation. He wasn’t used to spending a lot of money on anything, never had been. 

The waiter looked up as Percy walked in, there was a smile on his face even as Percy felt that he was being looked down on. He did suppose that the suit was less than the caliber of the establishment that he had entered. Percy pulled at the lapels of the new jacket. 

“Came I help you sir? Do you have a reservation?” 

Percy cleared his throat. He had done this, he could do this. Percy had been a political spy for nearly half a decade and he was not even out of his twenties yet. Percy pulled on his best mask and a sneer pulled at his lip. 

“Stark” Percy paused and couldn’t help the slight twitch of the shock on the waiter’s face. “I believe that there should be a reservation under Tony Stark.” Percy channelled Lucius Malfoy as he smirked. 

“Of course, right this way sir.” 

The table he was lead to was empty and Percy sat, the creeping uncomfortableness crawling up his spine. 

“Would you like a drink sir?” 

“Gin and tonic, Hendricks if you have it, Tanqueray if you don’t.” 

The drink arrived quickly, Hendricks, and Percy took a sip, then another. 

Five minutes passed quickly as Percy nursed the drink. Then ten, the man was certainly late now. Fifteen and Percy was halfway through the drink. Five more minutes Percy told himself and had to repress the urge to rub at his temples. 

Five more minutes ticked by and the man didn’t show. Well, great, he’d wasted 70 dollars on a new jacket and probably the same on the drink that he would inevitably end up paying for. Well, it was a sunk cost at this point, wasn’t it? Percy looked around, trying to find a waiter to flag down. 

Percy had been about to catch one of their eyes just as another broke the contact. 

“Here you are Mr Stark.” 

Tony walked in, a swagger in his step, a smirk on his face and sunglasses covering his eyes. Tony sat opposite Percy and smoothed down the lapels of the suit that looked as though it had cost more than every book in Percy’s shop. Percy scowled at the man, this was not who had been expecting. He would not have agreed to go to dinner with this man. 

“Evening Percy, enjoying your drink?” 

Percy looked down at the near empty glass and then back up at the other man. 

“You’re late” He knew his tone was snappish and he knew there was a Snape like sneer on his face. He couldn’t find it in himself to care. The man had left him waiting and arrived as though he was the new Merlin. Percy was far from impressed. 

Tony hummed, his smile turning to a smirk. “Got caught in a meeting.” 

Percy’s teeth clenched. “And you’re not going to apologise?” 

Tony lounged in his chair and the smirk only widened. “Not in the habit, no.” 

Percy felt his shoulders tense further and his frown deepen. This wasn’t the man who had been in his apartment; no empathy, no vulnerability, no humanity. Percy didn’t want a mask instead of a man, that was not the reason that he was here. 

Percy stood up. “I don’t think that I will be staying then, Mr Stark.” 

There was a sudden flash of something then, an actual real emotion over the other man’s face. Tony sat up straighter in his seat and his eyes seemed to spark with worry. 

“No, umm, I’m…I’m sorry.” It was nearly a whisper, but Tony was looking at the table cloth and then at his lap. The man’s breathing was a little faster and his eyes darted around, looking anywhere but Percy. That was real, that was the man he had met in his shop. 

Percy sat back down, there was a chance at recovery it seemed. “So why were you late?” 

Tony took a breath and seemed to relax back into his chair, but there was no fake smirk and no superior air. “Meetings, then traffic.” 

Percy hummed and looked at the man. 

“I…I am sorry” 

“It’s okay” Percy finally managed a small smile and took the last sip of his gin and tonic. “You want a drink?”

“Not recommended.” the man was smirking again, but it was more self deprecating and less of a mockery. “Downward spiral, apparently” 

“Oh” Percy couldn’t suppress the small sound. That made sense, didn’t it. This was not a man who was totally well and Percy had seen many a warrior turn to the bottle instead of addressing their problems. He knew that he himself could have been there, but alcohol had never been his destruction of choice. 

“Let’s get some food then, shall we?” 

“Sounds like a good idea pumpkin.” there was a smile of mischief on the Tony’s face. 

Percy felt his face pink a little at that, picking up the menu that sat on the table. 

“Is that because of the hair, or…something else?” 

Percy couldn’t deny that the man was attractive, and it had been rather a length since he had had the chance to indulge in anything that even resembled flirting. War and post traumatic stress disorder, a functional relationship, did not make. 

“It’s whatever you want it to be pumpkin.” Tony’s smirk was a different now, something smouldering behind it. Percy’s cheeks pinked further and he turned his attention to the menu again. 

Percy cleared his throat. “Are we having starters?” 

Tony snorted. “It’s up to you. I do rather enjoy appetisers.” Tony’s face was pulled up in a scrunched smile. It was a good look on him. 

Percy hummed and smiled up at Tony. “You can take the man out of England.” 

The waiter arrived just as Tony set his menu down and looked to Tony first. 

“Ready to order, sir?” 

“Scallops and the duck” Tony pushed the menu across the table and it was quickly scooped up by the waiter. 

“And for yourself sir?” he turned to Percy.

“I’ll have the crab and then the turbot, please.” Percy handed the menu to the waiter and the man was gone in an instant. 

“No need to start sobriety on my account. You can order a drink if you want to.” 

Percy smiled at Tony. “I’ve never been a big drinker, can’t risk a mind that’s too foggy.” 

“Been in a lot of risky situations have you, pumpkin?” Percy could hear the joking in Tony’s tone and see the playful smirk, but there was a seriousness behind it; a tipping point of a question. Percy thought that this may be a common theme with the man; serious questions under the facade of a joke. 

Percy sipped at the water that sat by his plate. “More than I wanted to be.” Percy hummed. “Fewer than others.” 

“And what has got you in those situations, Perce?” there was less humour in the tone now. 

“Protecting myself, protecting other people. Sometimes it’s unavoidable.” 

Tony’s face was far more serious now. Percy liked the look, it seemed more real, a far cry from the look the man had walked into the restaurant with a fake smirk and a faker swagger. 

“Sometimes you get hurt.” 

“Sometimes.” Percy agreed. “Sometimes it’s unavoidable. Sometimes there are worse things than getting hurt.” 

“So there was something worse, that’s why you’re here.” It wasn’t really a question. 

Percy only hummed in confirmation and took another sip of water.

“The something?” Tony was pushing, Percy knew the man knew that. He looked up at the brown eyes, his own blue were serious. 

“My brother died.” 

Tony’s eyes seemed to freeze, his whole body halted and his breath stilled in his chest. 

“I’m sorry.” 

Percy hummed. “So am I.” 

The rest of the meal seemed to go smoothly. The masks didn’t come back up, but neither did their conversations sink into the depths of their problems. They weren’t skirted around, weren’t ignored, but neither was this the time to explore them. The food was delicious and the company far more pleasant than Percy had been expecting. 

“Come for a coffee?” It was Percy who spoke the words, and he was unsure where they really came from, but they were out there now. 

“You asking me back to your place, Pumpkin?” 

Percy smiled. “I suppose that I am Tony.” 

“Well than how could I refuse.” 

Even with Percy’s protests, Tony paid for the meal and then for the taxi back to Percy’s book shop. They stepped out and it was clear that the taxi driver knew who Tony was, still staring at him, even as he started to drive away. 

“I hope the media doesn’t get wind of this.” Tony sighed, half joking half serious. 

“They won’t get in, even if they do.” Percy took out his keys. “Let’s get that coffee.” The lock clicked and the door swung open, Percy immediately locked it behind him. They made their way toward the apartment at the back of the shop and were up the stairs in a second. 

Tony walked behind Percy and was soon seated on the same stool that he had the first time he’d been there. Percy turned to the kettle. 

“Oh, we’re really having coffee then?” 

Percy smiled. “Well you did come all this way, didn’t you?” Two mugs were taken out of the cupboard and set on the counter. 

“I suppose, but it wasn’t the coffee that I came for.” 

Percy picked up the mugs. “Let’s go through to the other room. More comfortable.” 

Tony popped off the stool. “Whatever you say pumpkin.” 

The living room was covered in books, some of which were not so muggle friendly, but the notice me not wards on the books were rather effective; it was nothing to worry about. There was one sofa and a coffee table that was littered with Percy’s current reading materials, bills and letters from family. Percy set the mugs on two slate coasters and sat down. 

Tony sat beside Percy quickly, a grin as he reached for the coffee mug. Percy could feel the other man’s body edging closer, brushing against his as he reached for the black drink. Tony sat back, their shoulders still brushing and their thighs pressed just a little too closely. 

“So what is it that you do?” 

Tony pressed a little closer and laughed. “You didn’t look me up, Mr Weasley?” 

“I managed to suppress the urge, but I won’t deny, it was a struggle.” Percy could feel the heat from the other man, it felt nice. The wizarding world were never very accepting of those who were different; creatures, dark magic users, bisexuals. Percy pressed closer, their sides stuck together. It was nice. He could see that this man was not quite a muggle, not untouched by the horrors of the world, would not be scared away be the very idea of Percy. And Percy didn’t mean his magic. 

“I work in technology, run a company, tinker a lot, rescue people on occasion.” the tone was jovial, but there was something behind them, depth that wasn’t being explored. 

Percy smiled and looked over at Tony, their faces were close. Percy could feel the other man’s breath on his cheek. “Hence the shock over my lack of a television, I suppose.” 

Tony hummed, a smile pulling at his lips. “Oh and that god awful phone.” Tony huffed a laugh and leaned in closer. 

Percy looked affronted, even as his eyes couldn’t look away from the pink lips. “My phone is functional and robust. That’s all I need it for.” Percy tried to sound haughty, to use the tone he had perfected in his high school years. Tony only laughed. 

“I should get you a new one.” fingers ran along Percy’s arm, the hairs prickling and his breath picking up a little. 

“I can’t guarantee that i’ll use it.” 

Tony hummed, his fingers running along the freckled forearm and back again. 

“So what can I get you then? What would you use? What would you like?” 

Percy huffed a laugh, his hand coming to rest on Tony’s thigh, their eyes meeting. “I don’t need anything Tony. Just some time together and maybe some more coffee. That seems enough-“

Percy was cut off as suddenly a set of lips were on his, the stubble was rough against his chin and a hand was at the back of his head. Percy’s eyes fluttered shut and his own hand came up, resting on Tony’s waist and pressing deeper into the kiss. 

But then Tony pulled back, his hand dropped. 

“Sorry, I can’t, I-“ the man’s breathing was picking up and panic was sparking in his eyes again. 

“Hey” Percy soothed, his hand retreating back to Tony’s knee and his eyes meeting brown ones. “It’s fine, it’s all fine. No need to do anything” Percy leaned back, but the hand remained on Tony’s knee. 

“I just-“ the breathing was fast and Percy knew the beginnings of a panic attack when he saw one. 

Percy stood, quickly kneeling in front of Tony, now both hands on his knees. 

“Tony, look at me please.” Brown eyes did as they were told. “Follow my breathing please, in…and out. In…and out.” Tony’s breathing calmed, his chest moving with Percy’s. 

“There we go Tony, there we go. In and out.” the breathing was levelling out and the panic fading from Tony’s eyes. Percy stood up, pulling Tony up. 

“It’s late, the bathroom is through there and I can pull out the sofa. Go take a shower, or whatever and I’ll get you some pyjamas.” Tony nodded and went through the bathroom door, his breathing more steady and his eyes less panicked. 

Percy pulled out the bed, making it up quickly, and grabbing a set of his own pyjamas and a towel as well as a spare toothbrush and toothpaste. 

Percy rapped on the bathroom door. “There are pyjamas and a towel just outside the door. I’ll be in my room, feel free to get me if you need anything.” 

Percy grabbed a spare toothbrush and toothpaste for himself, brushing them in the sink before setting a glass of water and a pack of paracetamol by the pull out bed, before he headed to his own room. 

Percy heard the bathroom door open, heard the creaking of the sofa bed and eventually found his eyes closing and falling asleep, feeling far calmer than he could remember feeling in rather a long time. 

* * *

Tony Stark was not a man known for his emotions. In fact, he was famously known for his heartlessness, even to those who had known him for decades. But he supposed that that was the real problem, they never really had known him, never had bothered to break him down into parts and work out just how it was that he was constructed. They had looked at him with preconceived notions and clouded eyes from the very moment they had set them on him; hard to avoid really. Tony had never thought about it, not really seen the expectations as anything but common place. But then Percival Weasley had just had to hide him in a book shop. 

Tony looked down at the rather odd assortment of ginger haired knowledge with a smile. The man asleep on the bed was more confusing than any creature Tony had ever come in contact with, and he had met aliens! Multiple aliens! 

Tony twisted one of the longer locks through his fingers, the man had been saying that he needed a hair cut for weeks now. 

Percival Ignatius Weasley. The man was a ghost, one which even Tony’s most advanced spy technology could not get a clear image of. No social media, no phone contracts, no misguided childhood run ins with the police. There was just enough for the man to function in the world and just too little for him to seem real. 

But Tony couldn’t really find it in himself to care. The man wasn’t an intelligence agent, wasn’t an alien and wasn’t some hidden government secret. The man wasn’t a lying cheating bastard who had tried to have him killed and tried to steal his company. Tony’s jaw clenched and he pushed the thought down. Percy Weasley held none of those qualities. No, it seemed that Percy was someone who Tony was well on his way to falling in love with. He was not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. 

There was a slight moan as the mystery of a man turned over, his face unattractively pressed against one of the pillows, followed by a small puff of air that certainly could be called a snore. Tony could only smile at the freckled face. 

It had been six months, nearly seven now and if Tony was one to acknowledge his emotions then he would admit that this was the happiest that he had ever felt in his life. Of course, he wasn’t one to admit that. If anyone would ask him how he was doing he would list off the massive amount of work that Pepper piled on him, of the interviews that had been demanded of him and of the ridiculous amounts of money that he had wasted on the new Avengers outfits. 

Tony wouldn’t mention the soft Saturdays he spent in pyjamas curled up with a young man with a shock of ginger hair, both with books in their hands. He wouldn’t mention the new therapist he was seeing and how he was actually sleeping for more than four hours a night more times than not. He wouldn’t mention the late night phone calls when the therapy techniques didn’t quite work and the bots in his workshop and the soothing voice on the other end of the line were the only thing to get him down from his anxiety attack. Those were things that were only for Tony.

Tony ran a finger along freckles that covered nearly every inch of the face of the other in the bed. He wondered if he’d ever have a chance to count them all. But then his phone buzzed in his pocket and Tony sighed. 

A board meeting reminder, Pepper insisting that he show on time and that she really would have his balls if he didn’t. Tony sighed again and checked the time. He’d have to leave, well, now, if he wanted to get back to the tower and get changed for the meeting. He really needed to start keeping some suits in Percy’s rather small wardrobe if he was going to start making non-weekend visits more often. 

Tony couldn’t resist the press of his lips onto the freckled forehead as he stood from the bed, throwing on some of the casual clothes that he did in fact keep at Percy’s. 

Tony cast a gaze back at the man on the bed as he closed the door behind him and then quickly scribbled a note on the pad that was magnetically set on the fridge. He still hadn’t managed to convince the man to update anything in house, which was still lacking a TV and only had one very old computer. At least the Stark phone he had pressed into the man’s hands hadn’t gone the same way. After all, it was a present, a birthday present and even Percy couldn’t deny one of them. Well, who knew, Christmas was coming soon, maybe a TV would be the perfect present. 

The front door of the bookshop clicked shut, the yale lock ensuring no chance break ins; another reason for the phone. Tony didn’t want to be stuck throwing stones at the window of the apartment above the bookshop, not again anyway. 

It didn’t take Tony long to get a cab, at least five minutes walk from Percy’s of course, and then force himself through a shower and a suit, pulling up his mask as he went. Soft, emotional, therapy seeking Stark was not who the board members wanted to see. 

The meeting went as most had been recently, better than expected. Tony had been able to focus on the upcoming model of Stark phone, especially when the first prototype had gone to Percy less than a month ago and had had to be more user-friendly and straightforward than the previous model his ginger had been using with only an on and off button. 

Projects that the R&D department were working on were also advancing at a good rate, many with only prototypes that needed testing and human trials that needed starting; the board was satisfied with the new work and Tony felt a tinge of relief at that. Not that he cared what they thought, but the company was his baby after all. 

“You know, Tony” Pepper approached with a smile, a little behind him as he made his escape. “I think that was the best one so far.”

“Well, I’m Tony Stark” Tony hummed with his trademark smile. “Only the best.” 

Something flickered across Pepper’s face and her voice lowered a little. “I…I’m glad Tony. I-It’s good to see you” she gestured at him. “Like this” 

Tony hummed noncommittally. “Don’t know what you mean Pep.” 

“I think you do Tony.”

The woman didn’t say anything else, her heels only clicking back on the way back to her office. Tony felt the small smile creep onto his face as he watched her go, Tony making his own way through the building. 

That was another thing that had changed in the last few months, one that Pepper was certainly glad of and one he was sure there was a rather substantial boost in productivity. Tony was sure that if a superhero billionaire wandered through his work space that he would start to keep it cleaner and more organised too. 

Tony stepped from the elevator and the familiar silence met him. Not as bad as the first time, that was for sure, but still people focusing on their projects more intently and pulling out their notes to double and check their data. 

But it was like the therapist said. ‘Change is gradual’. For Tony that had never really seemed a concept fixed in reality. Time moved quickly and so did technology. Every day was a fight to be the best, a fight to make something new and a fight for survival. Technology may change by the day, but it had taken a lot to make Tony realise that people did not. 

“Good morning Theo.” 

A man in a slightly stained shirt and a mug of coffee the size of his head let out a small sound that may have resembled a frightened chipmunk. 

“G-good morning Mr Stark.” 

“What we working on?” 

“U-um, a..a new sensory detector that could assist in day to day activities of those with certain disabilities and maybe have some uses in-in the hero world as well, I mean its nothing close to the level of JARVIS and its more general and-and-“ 

Theo was the leader of one of the many teams that littered the R&D floor, but he was rather new to his position and rather new to the experience of speaking directly to Tony Stark. Tony supposed that most of his employees were. 

“Let’s have a look then.” 

Tony quickly sat on one of the seats and pulled the screen toward him; reading under his breath and clicking at the keys. “Oh, this bit here could…” and “Well that code needs…” 

An hour had passed quickly and Tony was nervously approached by what looked like an intern as she was wearing a pristine lap coat and his lanyard looked as though it had been ironed along with the coat. 

“M-Mr Stark, sir, sorry to disturb you, but-um, Doctor Harris wanted to ask if-if you could take a look at something.”

Tony smiled at the must be university student. She reminded him of Peter. 

“Couldn't ask me himself?” Tony laughed. 

“N-no sir, says that it’s” the girl looked at her feet. “Says that it’s character building.” 

Tony snorted. “Well lead the way.” 

Percy spent the rest of the morning and much of the afternoon helping with projects and wondering amongst the staff, looking at their projects and attempting, then failing to remember their names. 

A text came through on his phone and Tony grimaced, taking his leave. 

Pumpkin: You eaten yet? 

Me: If I say no will I be banned from the house again? 

The last time that Tony had forgotten to eat for two days in a row, Percy had cancelled their date and managed to force the notoriously stubborn billionaire to eat and then sleep, sending pictures to prove that he had indeed done as instructed. 

Pumpkin: I’m taking that as a no. The shop is dead though, would you like to go for lunch? 

Tony looked at the message with a curling of his lips. It had only been a few hours and he was already missing his pumpkin, god he was turning soft. 

_Me: Where were you thinking?_

_Pumpkin: That new vegan place._

_Tony sighed, Percy had been trying to get him to eat a diet that did not consist entirely of coffee and pizza._

_Me: I can be there in 15._

_Pumpkin: Perfect, see you there._

Tony pocketed his phone and made his way toward the exit, a smile on his face and a spring in his step. This really was what happiness felt like. 


End file.
